My Country, ‘Tis of Thee?

[Gass3268]

My Country, ‘Tis of Thee?

An Untimely Death

James Madison (March 16, 1751 – May 28, 1788)

May 28, 1788 – On the way to the Virginia Ratifying Convention in Richmond, the front left wheel broke off James Madison’s carriage. This caused the carriage to fall to the ground at a violent rate, throwing James Madison’s face forward and slamming it into the front of the car. The impact of Madison’s head hitting the side of the carriage instantly broke his neck, killing him at the age of 37.

May 30, 1788 – As the delegates of the convention began to congregate at the Richmond Theatre, the news broke of the untimely death of James Madison. This was a monumental blow to those Virginians who wanted to ratify the new Constitution. The Federalists already presumed that the Anti-Federalists had a small majority heading into convention led by Patrick Henry and George Mason. Most assumed that Mr. Madison’s death would be a huge blow to achieving ratification.

June 2 – 25, 1788 – The Virginia Ratifying Convention. Without the guidance and persuasive ability of James Madison, the Federalists are unable to convince enough moderate Anti-Federalists and undecided delegates to vote in favor of ratification. Still the loss was closer then most expected, with a vote of 86-82. Virginia becomes the first state to hold a ratifying convention and reject the Constitution. They call for a second convention to amend the proposed Constitution, with each state bring a list of amendments they wish to see ratified.

June 21, 1788 – During the long debates occurring in Virginia, the convention in New Hampshire ratifies the Constitution with a vote of 57 – 47. New Hampshire becomes the 9th state of ratify the Constitution and the last one needed to make it official. The Constitution becomes the law of the land. This news does on reach the members of the Virginia Convention in time to affect their decision

July 2, 1788 –The Congress of the Confederation reluctantly puts together a committee in order begin the process of creating the new government as is required by the rules put forward by Constitutional Convention. At this point Virginia has rejected the Constitution, Rhode Island has refused to even take the matter up and New York has yet to come to a decision. They have to move forward with the plans for the new government even with two of the most important states still on the sideline.   

July 26, 1788 – Even with the news that the Constitution has passed with necessary 9 states, New York, emboldened by Virginia’s refusal, votes against ratification 32 – 25. As with Virginia, New York called for a second convention to amend the Constitution. The fears of many Federalists come to past as the two key states have refused to ratify the Constitution.

[Gass3268]

 This is something I worked on a long time ago and just recently brought back to life.Any suggestions or advice would be great.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Looks great!

Might Washington be called forward to help bring his state into the union?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

This is great! We do not have a lot of 18th-19th century timelines here, so its good to see this one

[Gass3268]

The End Of A Friendship

Commander In Chief General George Washington and Major General Alexander Hamilton during the Revolutionary War

August 2, 1788 – Fallowing the lead of New York and Virginia, North Carolina becomes the third state to reject and fourth state to not ratify the Constitution. They also call for a second convention to be called.

September 15, 1788 – After many days of debate, the Congress of the Confederation establishes the timeline for the creation of the new government. The date set for the national election to selection members to the electoral college is set for the second Tuesday of February with their election of President and Vice President to take place on the second Wednesday in March. The Confederation Congress, under the old rules, put this timeframe to a vote and the result was 9-4.  The states that ratified the Constitution were in favor while those that have rejected ratification voted against the established timeline. The congress also voted on making Philadelphia the seat of the new government, as New York City was not eligible due to the failure of New York to ratify the Constitution. This was also by a 9-4 margin.

September 1788 – Even with elections set to take place for the new government, the Anti-Federalists believe that a majority of Americans and the international community will not see this new government as legitimate if New York and/or Virginia are not apart of the Union. They hope to influence the upcoming elections for the Congress and the Presidency in order for there to be a second convention to amend the Constitution.

October 21, 1788 – A secret meeting of important Federalists takes place at Mount Vernon, Virginia. Members include George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and John Adams, who had just returned from London. This emergency meeting was in response to the failure of New York and Virginia to ratify the Constitution. Even though the main goal of the meeting was to come up with a game plan on how to deal with the next few months, it eventually broke down into everyone pleading George Washington to temporarily move and become a temporary resident of Maryland in order to become President. The general feeling was that if Washington would became the President, the states holding out would join the Union in due time. Although Washington was a huge Federalist, he still placed a lot of his loyalty to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Hamilton informs the group that he is planning a behind the scenes succession movement of New York City from the rest of the state. The goal behind this movement is to try to force the hand of state to join the Union. Most of the Federalists at the meeting support this idea but some including Washington fear the precedent that this action could take. He makes his opinion known to Hamilton and this prompts an argument between the two men. Tempers flare when Washington feels as if Alexander Hamilton made statements that insulted his beloved Virginia. This greatly strains and in essence ends the once close relationship between the two men. Washington declares the meeting to be over and he tells the group that he will make his decision within the month.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Hate to burden an author, especially given how much time my updates take, so please don't take offense when I yell "More!"

Shame George & Al broke up though. Hamilton had to take it just a bit too far this time.

[Gass3268]

Hate to burden an author, especially given how much time my updates take, so please don't take offense when I yell "More!"

Shame George & Al broke up though. Hamilton had to take it just a bit too far this time.

Haha, don't worry, more is coming. I have to figure out what the make up of the 1st Congress is going to be and how the first Presidential election is going to turn out. I am going to be busy tomorrow, but I'll have an update by Wednesday or Thursday.

[Gass3268]

Elections of 1789

Congress Hall - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America

November 14, 1788 – After soul searching and failed personal efforts to convince Virginia Anti-Federalists to change their minds, George Washington publicly declares that he will not temporary move to Maryland in order to become an eligible candidate for President.

The ongoing debate over the new Constitution had taken a toll on his willingness to be active in the young nation’s politics. Overall he still supported the Constitution, but he was beginning to accept some of the claims made by the Anti-Federalists. Part of this acceptance came from his newfound suspicion of Hamilton’s personal ambitions and desire for power.  

November 24, 1788-Febuary 11, 1789 – Starting with South Carolina and ending with New Jersey, the various states that ratified the Constitution have their first Congressional elections.  

Late November 1788 – January 1789 – A last-ditch effort was made by Federalists to have Benjamin Franklin pursue the Presidency. They knew that he would be the only other man that would be able unite the various states. Franklin was intrigued, but at his age he was forced to decline.    

Without Washington or Franklin as the inevitable President, many prominent political leaders where pushed by their state governments to run for President. Secondly, due to the absence of Washington, the people that were interested in becoming presidents had to campaign for the job. The fears of some of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention came true as almost every state had someone perusing the office. Those declared were:

John Adams (MA)
James Armstrong (GA)
John Dickinson (DE)
John Hancock (MA)
Robert H. Harrison (MD)
Samuel Huntington (CT)
John Langdon (NH)
Benjamin Lincoln (MA)
John Milton (GA)
William Paterson (NJ)
John Rutledge (SC)
Edward Telfair (GA)

February 10, 1789 – The election of Presidential Electors takes place throughout the Union.

February 12, 1789 – The conclusion of the Congressional elections is a slight victory for the Federalists. They will have a 10-8 margin in the Senate and a 23-20 margin in the House of Representatives.  

April 1, 1789 – The First Congress of the United States of America is seated at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Federalists rename themselves the Constitutionalists and in the response the Anti-Federalists rename their group the Confederates.  

April 6, 1789 – The votes of the Presidential Electors are counted in the Senate. The results are:

John Adams (MA) – 31
John Dickinson (DE) – 18
Samuel Huntington (CT) – 13
William Patterson (NJ) – 12
John Rutledge (SC) – 12
Robert H. Harrison (MD) – 9
John Langdon (NH) – 8
John Hancock (MA) – 5
John Milton (GA) – 4
Edward Telfair (GA) – 3
Benjamin Lincoln (MA) – 2
James Armstrong (GA) – 1

No single candidate received a majority of the electoral vote. The House of Representatives will meet the next day to choose between the top three vote getters, Adams, Dickinson and Huntington. Also the Senate will have to meet once the House is through to select a Vice-President from the two remaining candidates.  

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Possible at all to see a map of the way states voted? You could give me the data and I'd be glad to make one.

[Gass3268]

Possible at all to see a map of the way states voted? You could give me the data and I'd be glad to make one.

Here is the data:

New Hampshire
1. Adams, Huntington
2. Langdon, Adams
3. Langdon, Adams
4. Langdon, Hancock
5. Langdon, Lincoln
Total – Langdon 4, Adams 3, Hancock 1, Huntington 1, Lincoln 1

Massachusetts
1. Adams, Huntington
2. Adams, Huntington
3. Adams, Huntington
4. Adams, Dickinson
5. Adams, Langdon
6. Adams, Langdon
7. Hancock, Huntington
8. Hancock, Huntington
9. Hancock, Langdon
10. Lincoln, Langdon
Total – Adams 6, Huntington 5, Langdon 4, Hancock 3, Dickinson 1, Lincoln 1,

Connecticut
1. Adams, Huntington
2. Huntington, Adams
3. Huntington, Adams
4. Huntington, Adams
5. Huntington, Dickinson
6. Huntington, Hancock
7. Patterson, Huntington
Total – Huntington 7, Adams 4, Dickinson 1, Hancock 1, Patterson 1

New Jersey
1. Adams, Patterson
2. Dickinson, Patterson
3. Harrison, Patterson
4. Patterson, Adams
5. Patterson, Adams
6. Patterson, Dickinson
Total – Patterson 6, Adams 3, Dickinson 2, Harrison 1

Pennsylvania
1. Adams, Dickinson
2. Dickinson, Adams
3. Dickinson, Adams
4. Dickinson, Adams
5. Dickinson, Adams
6. Dickinson, Adams
7. Dickinson, Patterson
8. Dickinson, Patterson
9. Patterson, Adams
10. Harrison, Dickinson
Total – Dickinson 9, Adams 7, Patterson 3, Harrison 1

Maryland
1. Harrison, Adams
2. Harrison, Adams
3. Harrison, Adams
4. Harrison, Dickinson
5. Harrison, Dickinson
6. Harrison, Rutledge
Total – Harrison 6, Adams 3, Dickinson 2, Rutledge 1

Delaware
1. Dickinson, Adams
2. Dickinson, Patterson
3. Dickinson, Patterson
Total – Dickinson 3, Patterson 2, Adams 1

South Carolina
1. Adams, Rutledge
2. Rutledge, Adams
3. Rutledge, Adams
4. Rutledge, Harrison
5. Rutledge, Milton
6. Rutledge, Milton
7. Rutledge, Telfair
Total – Rutledge 7, Adams 3, Milton 2, Harrison 1, Telfair 1

Georgia
1. Armstrong, Rutledge
2. Milton, Adams
3. Milton, Rutledge
4. Rutledge, Telfair
5. Telfair, Rutledge
Total – Rutledge 4, Milton 2, Telfair 2, Adams 1, Armstrong 1,

Totals
John Adams – 31
John Dickinson – 18
Samuel Huntington – 13
William Patterson – 12
John Rutledge – 12
Robert H. Harrison – 9
John Langdon – 8
John Hancock – 5
John Milton – 4
Edward Telfair – 3
Benjamin Lincoln – 2
James Armstrong – 1

[Gass3268]

The Sudden Importance of Delaware

Representative John Vining (Constitutionalist-DE)

April 7, 1789 – The speaker of the House, Frederick Muhlenberg, a Constitutionalist from Lancaster, Pennsylvania presided over the contingent presidential election. The body was required to choose between John Adams, John Dickinson and Samuel Huntington. Each delegation had to vote as a bloc and the winning candidate must win an absolute majority or 5 of the state delegations. Muhlenberg adopted an alphabetical roll call with votes being casted aloud.

The Constitutionalists, outside of the home states of Dickinson and Huntington, came to the decision that they would support John Adams. They felt out of the three candidates Adams would do the best job in unifying the rest of the country under the new Constitution. The Confederates realize this and they throw their support behind Samuel Huntington. They felt that the Connecticut Governor, due to his age and poor health, would put less into the job and be the weak leader they need in order to have a second constitutional convention. Also there was a slight divide between members from the North and those from the South. Yet this divide was mute due to the constitutional issue and the fact that there wasn’t a true Southerner among the three candidates.

Connecticut was first and even though there delegation was 4-1 in favor of the Constitutionalists, they voted 4-1 for their fellow Connecticuter Samuel Huntington.

0-1-0

Delaware was next and the Constitutionalist John Vining also felt like he could not vote against someone from Delaware so he voted for John Dickinson.

0-1-1

Even though Georgia had a relatively easy time ratifying the Constitution, they elected 3 Confederates to the Congress. There was a shift in views in the state within the last year. They voted 3-0 for Samuel Huntington.      

0-1-2

Maryland was next and they had a 4-2 Confederate majority. They voted 4-2 in favor of Samuel Huntington.

0-1-3

John Adams finally got a vote when Massachusetts, with a Constitutionalist majority of 5-3, vote 6-2 in his favor (Confederate Jonathan Grout voted for Adams out of respect.)

1-1-3

John Adams got a second vote when New Hampshire voted party line 2-1.

2-1-3

New Jersey also voted their party line 3-1 in support of John Adams.

3-1-3

Pennsylvania also gave its support for John Adams with a vote of 4-1-3. One Constitutionalist voted for John Dickinson out of support for his time as President of Pennsylvania from 1782-1785.

4-1-3

South Carolina voted their party line 1-4 in favor of Samuel Huntington.

4-1-4

Map of the 1st Round of Voting

Red-John Adams, Green-Sameul Huntington, Yellow-John Dickinson

Due to the lack of an absolute majority for any candidate, a second round of voting was held.  John Vining of Delaware becomes the center of attention because he would be the deciding vote. The Constitutionalists made a deal with him that their members in the Senate would vote for John Dickinson to become Vice-President in exchange for his vote for John Adams. He accepts and the second round of voting goes 5-0-4. John Adams becomes the first President of the United States Of America.

President of the United States of America John Adams

Map of the 2nd Round of Voting

Red-John Adams, Green-Sameul Huntington

Immediately afterwards the Senate convenes to elect the Vice-President. Senate President pro tempore John Langdon sets forth the rules as the House, except each member votes on his own, as required in the Constitution. In a pure party vote the Senate votes 10-8, making John Dickinson the first Vice-President of the United States  

Vice-President of the United States of America John Dickinson

     

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Cool. Wonder if Adams will establish a cabinet.

[Gass3268]

Baby Steps

Inside Congress Hall - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America

April 30, 1789 – John Adams is inaugurated as the first President of the United States of America at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Adams was given the oath of office by Thomas McKean, who was the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania. John Dickens was then inaugurated as the first Vice President of the United States. Afterwards President Adams addressed the crowd outside of the hall and gave a relatively short speech. He addresses his hesitancy to assume the office, but comments that his country called him to serve. He emphasizes his support the of the new national government and he called on the hold out states to join the Union.

May 8, 1789 – Based off correspondences with Constitutionalists across the county, including George Washington, John Adams comes to the conclusion that he needs to create a Cabinet in order to have a group of advisors. The fallowing people were given the fallowing positions:

Secretary of Foreign Affairs: Thomas Pinckney (South Carolina)

Secretary of the Treasury: Oliver Wolcott Jr. (Connecticut)

Secretary of War: Henry Knox (Massachusetts)

Attorney General: William Bradford (Pennsylvania)

Postmaster General: Joseph Habersham (Georgia)

President Adam’s main objective in establishing his Cabinet was to bring in good people to his administration that would serve as a model example of the benefits of the new Constitution. He also wanted to make sure that each Cabinet member came from a different state. While there is no residency requirements for any position other than President and Vice President, President Adams did not think it was in the best interest of the nation to appoint someone from a hold out state.   

May 15, 1789 – Sensing that pressure for the remaining hold out states to ratify the Constitution is rising, prominent Confederates and the Confederate states announce that they will unilaterally hold a second Constitutional Convention in New York City, New York. They are calling on all Confederates and even Constitutionalists from all of the states to join them. This meeting will be held during the first week in October. The reason for the delay is with the hopes that they could convince Thomas Jefferson to join their convention after his planned return from France in September.    

May 25, 1789 – President Adams in response to the Confederate’s planned second Constitutional Convention says that nothing will come from and will be seen as invalid to most of the citizens of the United States and the rest of the world.  Also he reminds the members of Congress that they swore an oath to support the Constitution and that they recently confirmed this oath with legislation that regulated the time and manner of administrating certain oaths. That legislation was a party line vote.

Many Constitutionalists, including President Adams, believed that the best thing they could do on the issue of the hold out states was to publicly ignore the problem. They felt that by going about their business they could present a sense of normalcy and show everyone that this new government is worth joining. Yet at the same time they will be working behind the scenes to try to fix the problem of the Confederate states.
   
June 1, 1789 – President Adams signs the oath legislation into law. It is the first law passed by the United States under the new Constitution.  

July 6, 1789 – President Adams signs into the Wolcott Tariff. This established a revenue tariff for the United States between 5 and 10 percent depending on the good. Unlike most early votes in the new Congress, this vote was not by party line. Rather this vote was split along regional lines. With Northerners voting for the tariff and Southerners voting against it. This legislation would change the course of American history and those changes became evident almost immediately.  

[Gass3268]

I am going to copy Cathcon's "Comments, Questions, Critiques, Complaints, Compliments?"

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

First off, I really like this, and I'm waiting with baited breath to see if the second convention will result in Civil War. (Adams vs. Jefferson!?) Also, I'm wondering if it's appropriate that Congress or the President focus on economic legislation (The Wolcott Tariff) while so much is at stake.

I am going to copy Cathcon's "Comments, Questions, Critiques, Complaints, Compliments?"

Haha, thanks, though I haven't used that in forever. Thanks for the reminder. I'll be using it again now.

[Jerseyrules]

This is good.  More please

[Gass3268]

Added the pictures to the previous post. Hopefully I'll have another update this weekend.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

In case you haven't already planned it out in your head, I'd like to throw out the idea of Jefferson being elected President of the Republic's counter-part, the Confederacy which apparently still exists, and then the two possibly going to war.

Also, what's John Jay doing? I'd have thought him a good choice for SoS (but then again, he got that job in my timeline too). Great work!

[Gass3268]

First off, I really like this, and I'm waiting with baited breath to see if the second convention will result in Civil War. (Adams vs. Jefferson!?) Also, I'm wondering if it's appropriate that Congress or the President focus on economic legislation (The Wolcott Tariff) while so much is at stake.

Many Constitutionalists, including President Adams, believed that the best thing they could do on the issue of the hold out states was to publicly ignore the problem by going about their business and work on starting up the new country while working behind the scenes to try to fix the problem

Jefferson will have a big role in the future of the United States, the Confederation and his home state of Virginia. John Jay is from New York. Adams could have appointed him to a position, because there is no residency requirements for any position other than President/Vice President, but he didn't think it was in the best interest of the nation to appoint someone from a hold out state.       

[Gass3268]

Added some more information to the last post that answered some of Cathcon's questions. Hopefully I'll have an update later tonight.

[Gass3268]

Two More Problems For President Adams

Georgia and South Carolina

Between July and September 1789 – President Adams signs into law the creation the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of War, Department of the Treasury and the Federal Judiciary.  Adams appointed the fallowing people to the Supreme Court:

Chief Justice: John Rutledge (South Carolina)

Associate Justice: Samuel Chase (Maryland)

Associate Justice: William Cushing (Massachusetts)

Associate Justice: William Paterson (New Jersey)

Associate Justice: Thomas Johnson (Maryland)

[

Associate Justice: James Wilson (Pennsylvania)

Late July 1789 – News of the Wolcott Tariff reaches South Carolina and Georgia. This sparks outrage among the elites in both states, as it will now cost more for them to buy foreign made goods to assist in their growing of crops. Wild rumors begin spread throughout the South that the Northern Constitutionalists in Philadelphia will soon try to make the international slave trade illegal, even though that was not allowed by the Constitution at that time.   

August 10, 1789 – The Confederate majority in the Georgia legislature realizes that this controversy is their signal to act. In a party line vote they approve a measure that undoes the action of Georgia Ratifying Convention, agrees to send representatives to the second Constitutional Convention and essentially results in Georgia seceding from the federal government of the United States of America. The Confederate Governor, George Walton, easily approved the measure.

August 19, 1789 – Hearing about the actions of their fellow Confederates in Georgia, the Confederate minority in South Carolina is able to pass almost identical legislation. The Confederates were able to get many Constitutionalists to change their party afflictions and give the Confederates the majority in the State House in Columbia. Many Constitutionalists were afraid that if they didn’t switch they would due to the anti-Constitutionalist that was beginning to run wild in the state. Confederate Governor John Drayton easily accepts the measure. 

If John Rutledge were not appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, he as a staunch Constitutionalist, would have been able to block the measure while at the same time he would have been able to clam the fears of the Constitutionalist legislators and the civilian population due to his stature in the state.

September 4, 1789 – Benjamin Franklin, upon reading the news of the secession of both Georgia and South Carolina, faints and hits his head hard on the floor. Franklin dies at the age 83. 

Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 - September 4, 1789)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

RIP Ben Franklin. Wonder how long Rutledge lasts as Chief Justice given alcoholism and the fact he resigned a few years in in real life.

[Gass3268]

Et Tu, Thomas

President John Adams and Thomas Jefferson

September 8, 1789 – Approximately 20,000 people attend the funeral of Benjamin Franklin. This included President Adams, his Cabinet and many members of Congress, both Constitutionalists and Confederates. For some members of the opposite parties, this would be the last time they would see each other.

Also false rumors came out that there were vocal arguments between members of the two parties during the service, instigated by the Constitutionalists. This just adds more fuel to the fire for the Confederates.   
 
September 14, 1789 – Thomas Jefferson returns to the United States after serving for four years as the Minister to France. He is immediately meet by Patrick Henry and George Mason after getting off the ship. They inform Jefferson that if he accepts their invitation to attend the Confederation Convention, the colloquial term for the second constitutional convention, they will have him be the presiding president of the convention. Jefferson asks for a day to make his decision.   

September 15, 1789 – After catching up on the current news of the Constitutional crisis, Thomas Jefferson accepts the invitation to attend the Confederation Convention in New York City, New York. He has many fundamental issues with the Constitution as he feels it gives the federal government too much centralized power. 

September 25, 1789 – Word reaches President Adams that Thomas Jefferson has accepted the Confederates invitation to join their convention.  President Adams is furious that his friend would go against him and the country just over political ideology.

He assembles his Cabinet in order to discuss options. President Adams and Secretary of War Knox want to assemble a group of forces to march into New York City and arrest everyone at the convention as traitors. The rest of his Cabinet strongly advises against that strategy. They claim it would only embolden the Confederates and likely lead to succession of other states.  President Adams is talked down from his initial desires, but he sends a request to congressional leaders that they rapidly pass legislation to begin the process of creating a national army.

October 1, 1789 - Delegates start to gather in New York City for the start of the Confederation Convention, which will start at the beginning of the next week. 

[Gass3268]

Comments, Questions, Critiques, Complaints, Compliments?

[Gass3268]

An Unexpected Visitor

Federal Hall - New York City, New York

October 5, 1789 – The Confederation Convention begins early in the morning at Federal Hall in New York City, New York. As promised by high-level Confederates, Thomas Jefferson was easily voted as the president of the convention. Along with Thomas Jefferson other key Confederates that were present included Patrick Henry, George Mason, Virginia Governor Edmund Randolph, Elbridge Gerry, Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee, Robert Yates, James Monroe, New York Governor George Clinton, Rhode Island Governor Arthur Fenner and Georgia Governor Edward Telfair.

The opening debate of the convention was on where the starting point should be for creating a new Constitution. Governor Randolph and James Monroe argued that the Constitution just needed to be fixed up a bit including the addition of a Bill of Rights. Patrick Henry and George Mason argued that the convention should start from scratch. This debate lasted all day.

October 6, 1789 – As day two of the Confederation Convention commences New York Governor George Clinton receives word that Alexander Hamilton has hatched a plot to have New York City secede from the state of New York. Fellow Constitutionalist, Mayor Richard Varick is backing the plot and they have a group of New York militia members that are loyal to the Constitutional cause. At that point, those militia members were in the process of securing the city and one group of militia members is on their way to Federal Hall to arrest the members of the convention as traitors to the United States of America.  

The Confederates at the convention are given enough time to flee Federal Hall and escape on ships up the Hudson River. They planned to rendezvous at the West Point fort, which was 50 miles up the river from New York City. It was later learned that the members of the convention had feared something like this would happen and they had plan of escape all worked out weeks before the convention had started.  

Governor George Clinton stayed back in order to order to organize a counterattack against Hamilton and Varick.

Governor of New York George Clinton